White House

President Obama Calls on Congress to Act on Veterans Job Corps in “To Do List” and Launches New Military Credentialing Initiative to Fill Workforce Needs

Executive Action Will Help Thousands of Service Members Get Credentialed for Manufacturing Jobs

Tomorrow, President Obama will visit Honeywell’s Golden Valley facility in Golden Valley, Minnesota to call on Congress to act on the “To Do List” by passing the Veterans Job Corps legislation. The President will also announce a new We Can’t Wait initiative that will help thousands of service members with manufacturing and other high-demand skills receive civilian credentials and licenses. As thousands of our servicemen and women return from the end of the war in Iraq and the start of a responsible drawdown in Afghanistan, now more than ever we must fulfill our duty to them. In addition, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and the National Economic Council have released a new report, Military Skills for America’s Future: Leveraging Military Service and Experience to Put Veterans and Military Spouses Back to Work. The report analyzes the labor market situation of America’s veterans, discusses the challenges that returning veterans and military spouses face as they seek to enter or re-enter civilian employment, and outlines the measures the Administration has taken to address these challenges.

The President will address these issues at the Honeywell Golden Valley facility. Honeywell is a participant in the President’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a partnership which has brought together industry, universities, the federal government, and other stakeholders to identify emerging technologies with the potential to create high-quality domestic manufacturing jobs and enhance U.S. global competitiveness. The AMP Steering Committee has recognized that veterans and separating service members are a great resource to help fill certain skills gaps in the manufacturing sector. Honeywell is also an active partner in the Administration’s Joining Forces initiative and has hired 900 veterans since 2011. The Golden Valley facility the President will be visiting tomorrow employs 65 veterans.

The Department of Defense, at the President’s direction, has established a Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force. The Task Force will focus its initial efforts on industries that have an identified need for more skilled workers and stand to benefit from military expertise and training, including: manufacturing, first responders, healthcare, information technology, transportation, and logistics. Within one year, the Task Force will: (1) identify military specialties that readily transfer to high-demand jobs; (2) work with civilian credentialing and licensing associations to address gaps between military training programs and credentialing and licensing requirements; and (3) provide service members with greater access to necessary certification and licensing exams.

Tomorrow’s announcement is the first action of the Task Force, and will provide opportunities for up to 126,000 service members to gain industry-recognized, nationally-portable certifications for high-demand manufacturing jobs. In a recent study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, over 80% of manufacturers reported moderate to serious shortages of skilled talent for many of the jobs that require these types of certifications. Due to the high-quality of their military training, our veterans have the skill sets that employers demand to fill these positions.

Through the Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps have worked with manufacturing credentialing agencies to expand certifications to military personnel with skills in the high-demand fields of engineering, logistics, machining, maintenance, and welding. Through these partnerships, service members will be able to test for and earn civilian credentials immediately upon completing their initial military training. This effort builds upon and helps to accelerate the Administration’s Skills for America’s Future partnership with the National Association of Manufacturers to provide 500,000 community college students with industry-recognized credentials that will help them secure jobs in the manufacturing sector. In the first year of this effort, nearly 85,000 certifications were awarded.

· Through a partnership between Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC), each Service will conduct a pilot for a limited number of service members to achieve industry-recognized credentials that can support a transition from military service to frontline jobs in the growing fields of advanced manufacturing and logistics. Service members participating in the pilot will have the opportunity to earn these credentials free of charge. The services will partner with MSSC to explore how opportunities for these credentials can be integrated into the services’ existing training programs and expanded to the larger pool of service members with relevant skills and training.

· Through a partnership between the Army, American Welding Society (AWS), and National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), the Army’s Ordnance School will be accredited to provide unlimited certification testing for soldiers with certain machinist and welding skills. Located in Fort Lee, Virginia, the Ordnance School trains thousands of service members every year in the maintenance of weapon systems. The partnership between NIMS and the Ordnance school will go into effect this summer to test for the NIMS “Level 1 Machinist” certification and the partnership between AWS and the Ordnance school will begin later this year to test for the AWS “Welder” certification.

The machinist, logistics, and engineering credentials that select service members can earn as part of the partnerships the President will announce tomorrow are highly valued by Honeywell and are an important element of our hiring process. The new partnership between the Army and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills will allow soldiers who complete machinist training and earn the “Level 1 Machinist” Certification to qualify for Honeywell’s machinist hiring qualifications without the need for an additional two-year degree.

· Through a partnership between the Army and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Army will expand certification opportunities for service members in highly-specialized and technical engineering fields. The Army’s Engineer school will conduct a one-year pilot program to assess the potential for Engineer Officers and Warrant Officers to meet SME’s “Certified Manufacturing Technologist” or “Lean Bronze Certification” credentials. These industry-recognized credentials will help service members qualify and pursue jobs as manufacturing engineers in the private sector.

The President will also continue to call on Congress to act on the “To Do List” and pass the Veterans Job Corps, which would put veterans back to work protecting and rebuilding America.

Congress’ To Do List

1. Reward American Jobs, Eliminate Tax Incentives To Ship Jobs Overseas: Congress needs to attract and keep good jobs in the United States by passing legislation that gives companies a new 20 percent tax credit for the cost of moving their operations back to the U.S. and pay for it by eliminating tax incentives that allow companies to deduct the costs of moving their business abroad.

2. Cut Red Tape So Responsible Homeowners Can Refinance: Congress needs to pass legislation to cut red tape in the mortgage market so that responsible families who have been paying their mortgages on time can feel secure in their home by refinancing at today’s lower rates.

3. Invest in a New Hire Tax Credit For Small Businesses: Congress needs to invest in small businesses and jumpstart new hiring by passing legislation that gives a 10 percent income tax credit for firms that create new jobs or increase wages in 2012 and that extends 100 percent expensing in 2012 for all businesses.

4. Create Jobs By Investing In Affordable Clean Energy: Congress needs to help put America in control of its energy future by passing legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit to support American jobs and manufacturing alongside an expansion of the 30 percent tax credit to investments in clean energy manufacturing (48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit).

5. Put Returning Veterans to Work Using Skills Developed in the Military: Congress needs to honor our commitment to returning veterans by passing legislation that creates a Veterans Jobs Corps to help Afghanistan and Iraq veterans get jobs as cops and firefighters, as well as other jobs serving their communities. Leveraging skills developed in the military, veterans will restore our great outdoors by providing visitor programs, restoring habitat, protecting cultural resources, eradicating invasive species, and operating facilities. Through these opportunities, our veterans will help make a significant dent in the deferred maintenance of our Federal, State, local, and tribal lands including jobs that will repair and rehabilitate trails, roads, levees, recreation facilities and other assets. Additionally the Veterans Job Corps will help veterans get back to work protecting our nation as first responders, such as police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. The program will serve all veterans, but will have a particular focus on post-9/11 veterans.

NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY, 2011BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

On a serene Sunday morning 70 years ago, the skies above Pearl Harbor were darkened by the bombs of Japanese forces in a surprise attack that tested the resilience of our Armed Forces and the will of our Nation. As explosions sounded and battleships burned, brave service members fought back fiercely with everything they could find. Unbeknownst to these selfless individuals, the sacrifices endured on that infamous day would galvanize America and come to symbolize the mettle of a generation.

In the wake of the bombing of our harbor and the crippling of our Pacific Fleet, there were those who declared the United States had been reduced to a third-class power. But rather than break the spirit of our Nation, the attack brought Americans together and fortified our resolve. Patriots across our country answered the call to defend our way of life at home and abroad.

They crossed oceans and stormed beaches, freeing millions from the grip of tyranny and proving that our military is the greatest force for liberty and security the world has ever known. On the home front, dedicated civilians supported the war effort by repairing wrecked battleships, working in factories, and joining civilian defense organizations to help with salvage programs and plant Victory gardens.

At this time of great strife, we reminded the world there is no challenge we cannot meet; there is no challenge we cannot overcome.

On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the more than 3,500 Americans killed or wounded during that deadly attack and pay tribute to the heroes whose courage ensured our Nation would recover from this vicious blow.

Their tenacity helped define the Greatest Generation and their valor fortified all who served during World War II. As a Nation, we look to December 7, 1941, to draw strength from the example set by these patriots and to honor all who have sacrificed for our freedoms.

The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2011, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance and to honor our military, past and present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thissixth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Statement by President Barack Obama on the 70th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Seventy years ago today, a bright Sunday morning was darkened by the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. Today, Michelle and I join the American people in honoring the memory of the more than 2,400 American patriots—military and civilian, men, women and children—who gave their lives in our first battle of the Second World War. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families for whom this day is deeply personal—the spouses, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters who have known seven decades without a loved one but who have kept their legacy alive for future generations.

We salute the veterans and survivors of Pearl Harbor who inspire us still. Despite overwhelming odds, they fought back heroically, inspiring our nation and putting us on the path to victory. They are members of that Greatest Generation who overcame the Depression, crossed oceans and stormed the beaches to defeat fascism, and turned adversaries into our closest allies. When the guns fell silent, they came home, went to school on the G.I. Bill, and built the largest middle class in history and the strongest economy in the world. They remind us that no challenge is too great when Americans stand as one. All of us owe these men and women a profound debt of gratitude for the freedoms and standard of living we enjoy today.

On this National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we also reaffirm our commitment to carrying on their work—to keeping the country we love strong, free and prosperous. And as today’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan come to an end and we welcome home our 9/11 Generation, we resolve to always take care of our troops, veterans and military families as well as they’ve taken care of us. On this solemn anniversary, there can be no higher tribute to the Americans who served and sacrificed seventy years ago today.

The people of this country work hard to meet their responsibilities. The question tonight is whether we’ll meet ours. The question is whether, in the face of an ongoing national crisis, we can stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy; whether we can restore some of the fairness and security that has defined this nation since our beginning.

Those of us here tonight cannot solve all of our nation’s woes. Ultimately, our recovery will be driven not by Washington, but by our businesses and our workers. But we can help. We can make a difference. There are steps we can take right now to improve people’s lives.

I am sending this Congress a plan that you should pass right away. It’s called the American Jobs Act. There should be nothing controversial about this piece of legislation. Everything in here is the kind of proposal that’s been supported by both Democrats and Republicans –including many who sit here tonight. And everything in this bill will be paid for. Everything.

The purpose of the American Jobs Act is simple: to put more people back to work and more money in the pockets of those who are working. It will create more jobs for construction workers, more jobs for teachers, more jobs for veterans, and more jobs for the long-term unemployed. It will provide a tax break for companies who hire new workers, and it will cut payroll taxes in half for every working American and every small business. It will provide a jolt to an economy that has stalled, and give companies confidence that if they invest and hire, there will be customers for their products and services. You should pass this jobs plan right away.

Darlene Miller is a small business owner and CEO of Permac Industries, a precision machining company custom manufacturing precision parts for customers worldwide in virtually all industries located in Burnsville, Minnesota. Miller currently serves as a member of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. She started working as a Sales Representative at Permac in 1992, became part owner in 1993 to 100% ownership of the company in 1994. Under Miller’s leadership Permac Industries was named the U.S. Chamber Small Business of the Year for the entire USA in 2008. Miller is currently a member of the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors and Advisory Council, board of directors for PMPA and MPMA (Manufacturing Trade Associations), and the Minnesota Valley Medical Manufacturers network (MEDNET), which she co-founded in 2006.

THE PRESIDENT: And do a little fishing? It is wonderful to see all of you here today. Thank you for showing up, and what a incredible setting. Everybody, feel free to have a seat; we’re going to be here for a while. (Laughter.)

A couple introductions I want to make real quick, although these folks don’t need any introduction. The outstanding governor of Minnesota Mark Dayton is in the house. (Applause.) Two of the finest senators in the country, Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken are here. (Applause.) From your congressional delegation, Tim Walz -- (applause) -- Keith Ellison. (Applause.) We’ve got the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack is here. And I want to thank the mayor of Cannon Falls, Minnesota, for organizing perfect weather -- Robby Robinson is here. (Applause.)

So I am very pleased to be out of Washington -- (applause) -- and it is great to be here. What I’m going to do is I’m just going to say a few things at the top, and then what I want to do is just open it up for questions and comments, and I want to hear from you guys. That’s the reason that we’re on this bus tour.

Obviously America has gone through extraordinary challenges over the last two and a half years. We’ve gone through the worst recession since the Great Depression, dating all the way back to 2007, 2008. But here’s the interesting thing: If you ask people around the world, people would still tell you America has got the best universities, we’ve got the best scientists, we’ve got the best entrepreneurs -- we’ve got so much going for us that folks would gladly trade places with us. (Applause.) Around the world, people still understand the extraordinary power, but also the extraordinary hope that America represents.

So there is nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed; what’s broken is our politics. (Applause.) Think about it: Over the last six months, we’ve had a string of bad luck -- there have been some things that we could not control. You had an Arab Spring in the Middle East that promises more democracy and more human rights for people, but it also drove up gas prices -- tough for the economy, a lot of uncertainty. And then you have the situation in Europe, where they’re dealing with all sorts of debt challenges, and that washes up on our shores. And you had a tsunami in Japan, and that broke supply chains and created difficulties for the economy all across the globe.

So there were a bunch of things taking place over the last six months that were not within our control. But here’s the thing -- the question is, how do we handle these challenges? Do we rise to the occasion? Do we pull together? Do we make smart decisions? And what’s been happening over the last six months -- and a little bit longer than that if we’re honest with ourselves -- is that we have a political culture that doesn’t seem willing to make the tough choices to move America forward.

We’ve got a willingness to play partisan games and engage in brinksmanship that not only costs us in terms of the economy now, but also is going to place a burden on future generations. And the question is, can we break out of that pattern? Can we break out of that pattern? Think about it: We just went through this debacle with the debt ceiling -- an entirely self-inflicted wound. It wasn’t something that was necessary. We had put forward a plan that would have stabilized our debt and our deficits for years to come. But because we’ve got a politics in which some folks in Congress -- not the folks who are here -- but some in Congress would rather see their opponents lose than America win, we ended up creating more uncertainty and more damage to an economy that was already weak.

Now, we can’t have patience with that kind of behavior anymore. I know you’re frustrated, and I’m frustrated, too. We’ve got to focus on growing this economy, putting people back to work, and making sure that the American Dream is there not just for this generation but for the next generation. (Applause.)

Another way of putting this is, we expect our political representatives to show the same level of responsibility that all of you show. I don’t know most of you, but I can guess that you’re all working hard. You’re managing your budgets. You’re putting something away for your kids’ college education, maybe for your retirement. You’re at the local church, working in the food pantry or doing something to help out your community, coaching Little League. You are following through on your responsibilities, and that’s true all across the country. People are doing the right thing.

Well, if you can do the right thing, then folks in Washington have to do the right thing. (Applause.) And if we do that, there is not a problem that we face that we cannot solve.

Think about it. Our biggest challenge right now is putting people to work. Biggest challenge is getting the economy growing as rapidly as it needs to grow. It’s been growing. We’ve been able to reverse the recession. We’ve added over 2 million jobs in the private sector over the last 17 months. (Applause.)

But we’re not growing it as fast as we need to to drive down the unemployment rate in a significant way and to give people confidence.

So here are some things that we could do right now, what I’ve been talking about now for months. We could renew the payroll tax cut that we gave you in December that put $1,000 in the pocket of a typical family so that you’ve got more money in your pockets to spend to meet your obligations. It also means businesses have more customers. And it means they might hire a few more folks as a consequence. All we need to do is renew it. It’s already in place. If we have certainty next year that that same tax cut is going to be in place, then that’s going to help businesses make decisions to hire people and open up and make investments. That’s something we could do right now. Congress can do that right now. (Applause.)

Congress right now could start putting folks to work rebuilding America. One of the biggest things that caused this recession was the housing bubble, and all those subprime loans that were going out that were getting packaged in Wall Street and folks were making millions and billions of dollars off them, and then the whole thing came crashing down. And no one has been hit harder than construction workers.

And so for us to say at a time when interest rates are low, contractors are begging for work, construction workers are lining up to find jobs -- let’s rebuild America. We could be rebuilding roads and bridges and schools and parks all across America right now. (Applause.) Could put hundreds of thousands of folks to work right now.

There’s a bill sitting in Congress right now that would set up an infrastructure bank to get that moving, attracting private sector dollars, not just public dollars. Congress needs to move.

Right now we’ve got our veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, who’ve taken their place among the greatest of generations, have made extraordinary sacrifices. I meet these young people -- (applause) -- I meet young people, 23, 24 years old, they’re in charge of platoons, making life or death decisions. They’re in charge of millions, tens of millions, a hundred million dollars’ worth of equipment, and they’re coming home and they can’t find work. So we’ve said, let’s give tax credits to companies that are hiring our veterans, and let’s put them back to work and let’s let them use their skills to get this country moving again. (Applause.) Congress could do that right now.

Trade deals. You know, trade deals haven’t always been good for America. There have been times where we haven’t gotten a fair deal out of our trade deals. But we’ve put together a package that is going to allow us to start selling some Chevys and some Fords to Korea so that -- we don’t mind having Hyundais and Kias here, but we want some “Made in America” stuff in other countries. (Applause.) That’s something that Congress could do right now.

Patent reform is something that a lot of folks don’t talk about, but our entrepreneurs, when they come up with a good idea, if we could reform how that system works and cut some of the red tape, we could have entrepreneurs creating businesses like Google and Microsoft right now, all across the country. But we’ve got to make this investment, and Congress could make that decision to make it happen.

So there is no shortage of ideas to put people to work right now. What is needed is action on the part of Congress, a willingness to put the partisan games aside and say, we’re going to do what’s right for the country, not what we think is going to score some political points for the next election. (Applause.)

Now, we also need to do this in a way that allows government to live within its means. Like I said, everybody here, you make responsible choices about what you can afford and what you can’t afford. America needs to do and can do the exact same thing. There are some programs that don’t work; we should stop funding them. There is some red tape that needs to be cut; we should cut it. But the fact of the matter is that solving our debt and deficit problems simply requires all of us to share in a little bit of sacrifice, all of us to be willing to do a little bit more to get this country back on track. (Applause.) And that’s not too much to ask.

Basically what we need to do is we need to cut about $4 trillion over the next 10 years. Now, that sounds like a big number -- it is a big number. But if we were able to, as I proposed, cut about $2 trillion in spending, if folks who could best afford it -- millionaires and billionaires -- were willing to eliminate some of the loopholes that they take advantage of in the tax code and do a little bit more, and if we were willing to take on some of the long-term costs that we have on health care -- if we do those things, we could solve this problem tomorrow. I put a deal before the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, that would have solved this problem. And he walked away because his belief was we can’t ask anything of millionaires and billionaires and big corporations in order to close our deficit.

Now, Warren Buffett had an op-ed that he wrote today, where he said, “We’ve got to stop coddling billionaires like me.” (Applause.) That’s what Warren Buffett said. He pointed out that he pays a lower tax rate than anybody in his office, including the secretary. He figured out that his tax bill, he paid about 17 percent. And the reason is because most of his wealth comes from capital gains. You don’t get those tax breaks. You’re paying more than that. And -- now, I may be wrong, but I think you’re a little less wealthy than Warren Buffett. That’s just a guess. (Laughter.) The point is, is that if we’re willing to do something in a balanced way -- making some tough choices in terms of spending cuts, but also raising some revenue from folks who’ve done very well, even in a tough economy -- then we can get control of our debt and deficit and we can start still investing in things like education and basic research and infrastructure that are going to make sure that our future is bright. (Applause.) It’s not that complicated, but it does require everybody being willing to make some compromises.

I was in Holland, Michigan, the other day and I said, I don’t know about how things work in your house, but in my house if I said, you know, Michelle, honey, we got to cut back, so we’re going to have you stop shopping completely -- you can’t buy shoes, you can’t buy dresses -- but I’m keeping my golf clubs -- (laughter) -- you know, that wouldn’t go over so well.

The point is, something is happening in Washington where we think that kind of compromise that we do every day in our own families, with our neighbors, with our co-workers, with our friends, that somehow that’s become a dirty word. And that’s got to change. That’s got to stop. (Applause.)

So here’s the bottom line: Obviously, with the markets going up and down last week and this downgrade, a lot of folks were feeling a little anxious and distressed and feeling like, boy, we’ve been working so hard over the last two and a half years to get this economy back out of recession, and some folks worry that we might be slipping back. I want all of you to understand: There is nothing that we’re facing that we can’t solve with some spirit of America first; a willingness to say, we’re going to choose party -- we’re going to choose country over party, we’re going to choose the next generation over the next election. (Applause.) If we are willing to do that, then I have absolutely no doubt that we can get this economy going again, we can put people to work back again, small businesses can start growing again. But I’m going to need your help to make it happen. You’ve got to send a message to Washington that it’s time for the games to stop. It’s time to put country first. (Applause.) It is time for the games to stop.

Some folks were asking me, well, why don’t you just call Congress back? And I said, you know, I don’t think it’s going to make people feel real encouraged if we have Congress come back and all they’re doing is arguing again. So what they need to do is come to Cannon Falls, they need to come to -- they need to go back to their districts, talk to ordinary folks, find out how frustrated they are, and hopefully, when they get back in September, they’re going to have a new attitude. (Applause.)

But I want everybody to understand here that I’m not here just to enjoy the nice weather, I’m here to enlist you in a fight. We are fighting for the future of our country. (Applause.) And that is a fight that we are going to win. That is a promise that I make with your help.

President Obama names Gov. Branstad Co-Chair of Council of GovernorsBranstad joins nine other governors in serving on national council tasked with finding effective homeland security, emergency response and National Guard measures for the states

(DES MOINES) – President Barack Obama today appointed Gov. Terry E. Branstad as Co-Chairman of the Council of Governors.

The Council of Governors was established by the National Defense Authorization Act in 2008 to strengthen further partnership between the Federal and State governments as it pertains to national security. The council is balanced by political party and serves the nation as a whole. The governors serve two year terms and are appointed by the President. The President designates two members of different political affiliations to serve as co-chairs of the Council.

“I am both humbled and honored to have been named Co-Chairman of the Council of Governors by President Barack Obama,” said Branstad. “I look forward to working with the nine other governors on the board to provide feedback, suggestions and advice on matters of homeland security, National Guard and emergency response coordination.”

The Council of Governors, which had its first meeting today in conjunction with the National Governors Association, is a premier opportunity for governors to serve at a national level. Branstad will work with General Tim Orr on matters pertaining to the Council of Governors, weaving in Orr’s knowledge of Iowa’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management efforts.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to work on finding solutions that enhance the security of our country,” Branstad said. “Iowa has the highest level of National Guard deployment since World War II, and I am pleased to have a seat at the table to advocate on their behalf.”

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Good afternoon. Today, one of the toughest tales of the recession took another big step towards becoming a success story.

General Motors relaunched itself as a public company, cutting the government’s stake in the company by nearly half. What’s more, American taxpayers are now positioned to recover more than my administration invested in GM.

And that’s a very good thing. Last year, we told GM’s management and workers that if they made the tough decisions necessary to make themselves more competitive in the 21st century -- decisions requiring real leadership, fresh thinking and also some shared sacrifice –- then we would stand by them. And because they did, the American auto industry -– an industry that’s been the proud symbol of America’s manufacturing might for a century; an industry that helped to build our middle class -– is once again on the rise.

Our automakers are in the midst of their strongest period of job growth in more than a decade. Since GM and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, the industry has created more than 75,000 new jobs. For the first time in six years, Ford, GM and Chrysler are all operating at a profit. In fact, last week, GM announced its best quarter in over 11 years. And most importantly, American workers are back at the assembly line manufacturing the high-quality, fuel-efficient, American-made cars of tomorrow, capable of going toe to toe with any other manufacturer in the world.

Just two years ago, this seemed impossible. In fact, there were plenty of doubters and naysayers who said it couldn’t be done, who were prepared to throw in the towel and read the American auto industry last rites. Independent estimates suggested, however, that had we taken that step, had we given up, we would have lost more than 1 million jobs across all 50 states. It would have also resulted in economic chaos, devastating communities across the country and costing governments tens of billions of dollars in additional social safety net benefits and lost revenue.

That wasn’t an acceptable option –- to throw up our hands and to quit. That’s not what we do. This is a country of optimistic and determined people who don’t give up when times are tough. We do what’s necessary to move forward.

So these last two years haven’t been easy on anybody. They haven’t been without pain or sacrifice, as the tough restructuring of GM reminds us. And obviously we’ve still got a long road ahead and a lot of work to do -– to rebuild this economy, to put people back to work, to make America more competitive for the future and to secure the American Dream for our children and our grandchildren.

But we are finally beginning to see some of these tough decisions that we made in the midst of crisis pay off. And I’m absolutely confident that we’re going to keep on making progress. I believe we’re going to get through this tougher and stronger than we were before. Because just as I had faith in the ability of our autoworkers to persevere and succeed, I have faith in the American people’s ability to persevere and succeed. And I have faith that America’s best days and America’s -- and American manufacturing’s best days are still ahead of us.

Finally, I just want to embarrass a couple of people. Ron Bloom and Brian Deese are key members of the team that helped to engineer this rescue of GM and Chrysler. So it had not been for these two gentlemen, a whole lot of people might be out of work right now. We are very proud of them and I figured that I’d go ahead -- you can see they’re all looking sheepish -- point them out to you.

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama named fifteen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. The awards will be presented at a White House ceremony early next year.

President Obama said, “These outstanding honorees come from a broad range of backgrounds and they’ve excelled in a broad range of fields, but all of them have lived extraordinary lives that have inspired us, enriched our culture, and made our country and our world a better place. I look forward to awarding them this honor.”

The following individuals will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom:

President George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st President of the United States. Prior to that, he was Vice President in the Reagan Administration, Director of Central Intelligence, Chief of the U.S. Liaison’s Office to the People’s Republic of China, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and a Member of the House of Representatives from the 7th District of Texas. He served in the Navy during World War II. President Bush and President Clinton worked together to encourage aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

Stan Musial Stan “The Man” Musial is a baseball legend and Hall of Fame first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. Musial played 22 seasons for the Cardinals from 1941 to 1963. A 24-time All-Star selection, Musial accumulated 3,630 hits and 475 home runs during his career, was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player three times, and was a member of three World Series championship teams. Musial also served as the Cardinals’ general manager in 1967, when the team once again won the World Series.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM BILL

Department of InteriorWashington, D.C.12:39 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yes, he did. (Applause.) Thank you all for being here, ladies and gentlemen. Please be seated.

Ladies and gentlemen, to state the obvious, this is truly a historic day. But as all of you know, history is not merely what’s printed in our textbooks. It doesn’t begin or end with a stroke of a pen. History is made. History is made when men and women decide that there’s a greater risk in accepting the situation we cannot bear than in steeling our spines and embracing the promise of change. History is made when a leader’s passion is matched with his principle in service of his country.

Mr. President, your passion to make the lives of ordinary Americans better has been on display. And the principles that guided your public service, beginning when you were a community organizer, have led this nation to this moment. Mr. President, 30 minutes ago, by the stroke of your pen, you began the process of making life better for tens of millions of Americans today and for evermore. (Applause.)

For much too long, for much too long, Americans have been denied what every human being is entitled to -- decent, affordable health care. Starting with Teddy Roosevelt straight through to you, Mr. President, everyone else tried. They were great men, they gave it their best, but they came up short. But you succeeded, Mr. President, and we owe you for that. (Applause.)

As I said just before the President signed the health care bill, I quoted Virgil, the classic Greek poet, who once said, “The greatest wealth is health.” The greatest wealth is health. Mr. President, you’ve made us a nobler and wealthier nation by providing for the health of your fellow citizens.

Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. (Applause.)

We wanted to do this twice -- (laughter) -- because there are so many people we have to thank. And as I look around the room, we've got leaders of labor who helped to make this happen. We've got ordinary folks who knocked on doors and made phone calls at the last minute to get this thing over the top. My extraordinary members of my Cabinet -- we've still got some additional members of Congress who helped lead the charge on this. There’s my staff, who I see are still here. (Laughter.) At any given moment I thought they were going to quit -- (laughter) -- but they just stuck it out with me.

So the main purpose here is to say thank you, and thank you on behalf of the American people.

After a century of striving, after a year of debate, after a historic vote, health care reform is no longer an unmet promise. It is the law of the land. It is the law of the land. (Applause.)

And although it may be my signature that’s affixed to the bottom of this bill, it was your work, your commitment, your unyielding hope that made this victory possible. When the special interests deployed an army of lobbyists, an onslaught of negative ads, to preserve the status quo, you didn’t give up. You hit the phones and you took to the streets. You mobilized and you organized. You turned up the pressure and you kept up the fight.

When the pundits were obsessing over who was up and who was down, you never lost sight of what was right and what was wrong. You knew this wasn’t about the fortunes of a party -- this was about the future of our country. (Applause.)

And when the opposition said this just wasn’t the right time, you didn’t want to wait another year, or another decade, or another generation for reform. You felt the fierce urgency of now.

You met the lies with truth. You met cynicism with conviction. Most of all, you met fear with a force that’s a lot more powerful -- and that is faith in America. You met it with hope. (Applause.)

Despite decades in which Washington failed to tackle our toughest challenges, despite the smallness of so much of what passes for politics these days, despite those who said that progress was impossible, you made people believe that people who love this country can still change it.

So this victory is not mine -- it is your victory. It’s a victory for the United States of America. (Applause.)

For two years on the campaign trail, and for the past year as we’ve worked to reform our system of health insurance, it’s been folks like you who have propelled this movement and kept us fixed on what was at stake in this fight. And rarely has a day gone by that I haven’t heard from somebody personally -- whether in a letter, or an email, or at a town hall -- who’s reminded me of why it was so important that we not give up; who reminded me why we could not quit.

I heard from Ryan Smith, who’s here today, and runs a small business with five employees. He is trying to do the right thing, paying for half of the cost of coverage for his workers. But as his premiums keep on going up and up and up, he’s worried he’s going to have to stop offering health care for his people. But because of this bill he is now going to be getting tax credits that allow him to do what he knows is the right thing to do -- and that's going to be true for millions of employers all across America. (Applause.)

I heard the story of 11-year-old Marcelas Owens, who’s right here -- looking sharp -- (applause.) He and I made sure to coordinate our ties today. (Laughter.) Yes, it looks good. (Laughter.)

Marcelas is a wonderful young man, and he lost his mom to illness. And she didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford the care that she needed. So in her memory, Marcelas, 11 years old, has told her story across America so that no other children have to go through what his family has experienced. (Applause.) That's why we don't quit. (Applause.)

I heard from folks like Natoma Canfield, who had to give up her health coverage after her rates were jacked up by more than 40 percent. She was terrified that an illness would mean she’d lose the house that her parent built, but she also knew that if she was burdened by these huge premiums, that she wouldn’t be able to pay the mortgage. So she finally decided not to -- not to keep her health insurance. And she’s now lying in a hospital bed, as we speak, faced with just such an illness, and she’s praying that she can somehow afford to get well. And her sister Connie is here today. (Applause.) And it’s because of Natoma’s family that we could not quit. (Applause.)

I’ve met people like Ashley Baia, who worked for my campaign. Where’s Ashley? She’s around here somewhere. I know she is. There she is, right in front. She just doesn’t like waving. (Laughter.) Ashley decided to get involved with our campaign a couple of years ago because her own mother lost her job, and with it, her health insurance when she got sick. And they had to file bankruptcy. And so Ashley worked tirelessly, not to get me elected, but to solve a problem that millions of families across the country were facing.

Each of these Americans made their voices heard. It’s because of them, and so many others, so many of you, that real, meaningful change is coming to the United States of America. (Applause.) It is because of you that we did not quit. It’s because of you that Congress did not quit. It’s because of you that I did not quit. It’s because of you. (Applause.)

Now, let me tell you what change looks like -- because those fighting change are still out there, still making a lot of noise -- (laughter) -- about what this reform means. So I want the American people to understand it. And look it up for yourself. Go on our Web site, whitehouse.gov, or go to any credible news outlet’s Web site, and look in terms of what reform will mean for you. (Laughter.)

I said this once or twice, but it bears repeating: If you like your current insurance, you will keep your current insurance. No government takeover; nobody is changing what you’ve got if you’re happy with it. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. In fact, more people will keep their doctors because your coverage will be more secure and more stable than it was before I signed this legislation.

***And now that this legislation is passed, you don’t have to take my word for it. You’ll be able to see it in your own lives. I heard one of the Republican leaders say this was going to be Armageddon. Well, two months from now, six months from now, you can check it out. We’ll look around –- (laughter) -- and we’ll see. (Applause.) You don’t have to take my word for it. (Applause.)

So what works in our system won’t change. And a lot of people are happy with the health care that they’ve got and that won’t change because of this legislation. Here’s what will change, and here’s what will change right away:

This year, we’ll start offering tax credits to about 4 million small businesses to help them cover the cost of coverage. And that means that folks like Ryan will immediately get a tax break so that he can better afford the coverage he’s already providing for his employees. And who knows, because of that tax break, he may decide to hire a couple more folks in his small business -- because of this legislation. (Applause.)

This year, tens of thousands of uninsured Americans with a preexisting condition and parents whose children have a preexisting condition will finally be able to purchase the coverage they need. And that means folks like Natoma Canfield will have access to affordable insurance. That happens this year. (Applause.)

This year, insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people’s coverage when they get sick, or place lifetime limits or restrictive annual limits on the amount of care they can receive. This year, all new insurance plans will be required to offer free preventive care. And this year, young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ policies until they’re 26 years old. That all happens this year. (Applause.)

This year, seniors who fall in the coverage gap known as the doughnut hole will get some help to help pay for prescription drugs. And I want seniors to know, despite what some have said, these reforms will not cut your guaranteed benefits. Let me repeat that: They will not cut your guaranteed benefits. Period. I’d be wary of anybody who claimed otherwise.

So these are the reforms that take effect right away. These reforms won’t give the government more control over your health care. They certainly won’t give the insurance companies more control over your health care. (Applause.) These reforms give you more control over your health care. And that’s only the beginning. (Applause.)

That’s only the beginning. After more than a decade, we finally renewed the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. (Applause.) And the other changes I’m signing into law will take several years to implement fully, but that’s because this is a difficult, complex issue and we want to get it right.

One of these reforms is the creation of a health insurance exchange. This is one of the most important reforms -- and by the way, originally, I should point out, a Republican idea. Imagine that. (Laughter.)

The idea is, is that right now there are a lot of people out there buying health insurance on their own, or small businesses buying health insurance on their own. They don’t work for a big company, they’re not part of a big pool, so they have no leverage; they’ve got no bargaining power with insurance companies. But now what we’re going to do is create exchanges all across the country where uninsured people -- small businesses -- they’re going to be able to purchase affordable, quality insurance. They will be part of a big pool, just like federal employees are part of a big pool. They’ll have the same choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves. That’s going to happen as a consequence of this legislation. (Applause.)

And when this exchange is up and running, not only because of better bargaining power will they see their premiums reduced, will people get a better deal, but millions of people who still can’t afford it are going to get tax breaks so they can afford coverage. And this represents the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in our history. (Applause.) And it’s going to mean that millions of people can get health care that don’t have it currently.

Now, for those of us who fought so hard for these reforms, and believe in them so deeply, I have to remind you our job is not finished. We’re going to have to see to it that these reforms are administered fairly and responsibly. And this includes rooting out waste and fraud and abuse in the system. That’s how we’ll extend the life of Medicare and bring down health care costs for families and businesses and governments. And in fact, it is through these reforms that we achieve the biggest reduction in our long-term deficits since the Balanced Budget Act of the 1990s.

So for all those folks out there who are talking about being fiscal hawks and didn’t do much when they were in power -- (applause) -- let’s just remind them that according to the Congressional Budget Office, this represents over a trillion dollars of deficit reduction that is being done in a smart way.

And for those who’ve been suspicious of reform -- and there are a lot of wonderful folks out there who, with all the noise, got concerned -- because of the misinformation that has marred this debate, I just repeat, don’t take my word for it. Go to our Web site, whitehouse.gov; go to the Web sites of major news outlets out there; find out how reform will affect you. And I’m confident that you will like what you see -- a common-sense approach that maintains the private insurance system but makes it work for everybody; makes it work not just for the insurance companies, but makes it work for you.

So that’s what health reform is all about. Now, as long a road as this has been, we all know our journey is far from over. There’s still the work to do to rebuild this economy. There’s still work to do to spur on hiring. There’s work to do to improve our schools and make sure every child has a decent education. There’s still work to do to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. There’s more work to do to provide greater economic security to a middle class that has been struggling for a decade.

So this victory does not erase the many serious challenges we face as a nation. Those challenges have been allowed to linger for years, even decades, and we’re not going to solve them all overnight.

But as we tackle all these other challenges that we face, as we continue on this journey, we can take our next steps with new confidence, with a new wind at our backs -- because we know it’s still possible to do big things in America -- (applause) -- because we know it’s still possible to rise above the skepticism, to rise above the cynicism, to rise above the fear; because we know it’s still possible to fulfill our duty to one another and to future generations. (Applause.)

So, yes, this has been a difficult two years. There will be difficult days ahead. But let us always remember the lesson of this day -- and the lesson of history -- that we, as a people, do not shrink from a challenge. We overcome it. (Applause.) We don’t shrink from our responsibilities. We embrace it. We don’t fear the future. We shape the future. That’s what we do. That’s who we are. That makes us the United States of America. (Applause.)

God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.)